Can't Swim
by Thranduil's Bossy Elk
Summary: John can't swim and a suspect pushes him off a boat. Fluff, whump, and Jorian! This is based on a prompt for #10th-man-down on Tumblr! **Chapter 1 is fluff, Chapter 2 is an angst/whump version of the same prompt.
1. Chapter 1

"He's comin' your way, John!"

Dorian kept the communication line to John open as he rounded the corner at full speed, driving the suspect towards the back of the boat where John was waiting. The guy looked back over his shoulder at Dorian in hot pursuit and kicked it up a notch. His arms flailed wildly as he ran, and for a moment Dorian fought the urge to laugh.

The guy rounded the final corner of the deck, ducking out of Dorian's sight for a few seconds. He heard a flump of body on body contact, a scuffle, John yelling "You're under arrest!", and some garbled protestations. When he rounded the boat's corner, he saw that John had the suspect in a pretty decent headlock and was preparing to cuff him. Dorian smiled. _Good teamwork today_, he thought.

As soon as the thought crossed his, however, the perp rallied his wits and pushed back hard against John. On any other day that wouldn't have been a problem. John would have laughed and just continued reciting the guy's rights. But today they were on a boat. In the middle of the river, deck rocking back and forth and an unfortunately low railing. The back of John's knees caught the railing and he began to lose his balance. Dorian started forward, not too worried, because even if John fell over and got a little wet they still had caught the guy, and John would be fine.

"Hey-" John started to say, tightening his grip on the perp, but the guy just shoved again. John teetered on the railing for a long moment- then with a huge splash fell right into the river.

The perp didn't get a free pass though, and soon as John toppled over Dorian was there to quickly cuff him to the railing.

"Alright, now stay." Dorian suggested to the perp.

Dorian peered over the edge of the boat, but surprisingly didn't catch any sight of John. A pretty impressive bout of spluttering from round the boat's hull caught his attention however, and he went to lean over the railing on the other side.

"John?'" Dorian called. "Where are you, man?"

There was a splash and a garbled curse.

"John?"

"Dammit, Dorian, help!"

Dorian started laughing unccontrollably. John's wet face was peering out of the water, looking grumpier than usual if that were even possible. His spiky hair waas plastered down over his forehead and his dark brows were furrowed in complete concentration.

"John, c'mon, stop bein such a baby!" Dorian calleed out, still laughing.

Dorian looked closer. Was John...blushing? His face was sure red.

John splashed more and resigned himself to the worst.

"Can'tswim" he mumbled up at Dorian. Dorian's face lit up wth glee and he cupped a hand to his ear to hear better.

"Sorry, John, I didnt catch that. You can't _what_?"

"I CAN'T SWIM, DAMMIT" John yelled, his face going even redder.

Dorian just clung to the railing, laughing away. He caught his breaath long enough to call back:

"I thought you were the White Cheetah, John! You telling me the White Cheetah can't swim?"

John muttered under this breath about annoying androids.

"Want me to come in and get you?" Dorian offered. 'I'd enjoy the chance to rescue you, after all it's not like I dont do that everyday anyways."

"I can get m'self out!" John muttered, attempting a sort of dog paddle but immediately sinking under the water in a flurry of bubbles.

"John?"

No answer. Dorian shucked his jacket and kicked off his shoes, preparing to dive in. Just as he was about to, John's face broke the surface again, sputtering loudly.

"I'm comin' to getcha, John." called Dorian patiently.

John looked mortified. To Dorian's eternal amusement, he actually began to paddle _away_ from the boat, only getting a few feet though. Dorian smoothly dived in and began stroking his way after John who was apparently so embarrassed at being rescued that he was flopping away from Dorian's help.

"John!" yelled Dorian exasperatedly, "Stop being such an idiot!"

"I can get myself out!" John yelled back, mouth full of water.

Dorian shook his head, his efficient freestyle stroke carrying him quickly towards John. He caught up and grabbed John around the waist, hoisting him up so he could breathe again. John sputtered annoyedly, muttering nonsense. Dorian kept one arm firmly around John's waist, supportin him, and began swimming back towards the boat. John sullenly stopped struggling and seemed resigned to his fate. Dorian boosted him back on the deck and pulled himself up after. John was soaking wet, water streaming from his clothes and hair.

"I coulda got myself out." he mumbled, shivering.

Dorian just rolled his eyes and set the boat on a navigation path back to shore.


	2. Chapter 2

_SPLASH._

Dorian's jaw cracked audibly with panic as he raced towards the river shoreline, a small boat dead ahead. He had seen a figure go overboard and knew exactly who it was. The last photo the kidnappers had sent of John had featured him handcuffed and barely conscious, and if he was in a similar state now then he was going to sink beneath the water before Dorian could get to him.

Dorian waded out and began swimming as fast as he could, a strong freestyle stroke that propelled him through the dirty water. Luckily the boat John had been pushed off of wasn't too far out. Dorian didn't let himself slow down though. Seconds could be the difference between life and death here. Only one thought looped in his brain: _get to John, get to John, get to John. . . ._

Dorian dived down at the approximate spot he had seen John go overboard. He kept his open easily under the murky water, trying to see where John had gone.

_There._

John was sinking rapidly, the chains around his wrists and ankles weighing him down. He seems to be struggling weakly, and when his glassy eyes caught sight of Dorian he burst into a fresh bout of thrashing. Dorian swam down with powerful strokes and caught John around the chest, holding him tight as they rose up towards the surface. Bubbles were streaming out of John's mouth too quickly. There was no air in his lungs and his eyes glazed over. Dorian let out a scream, but no bubbles issued from his own mouth. He didn't have lungs to expel oxygen. He furrowed his brow and shot towards the surface, dragging John along.

When they broke the surface, there was no gasp of relief from John. Dorian shook him roughly, trying to stimulate his lungs, but they were in an awkward position and treading water. He began swimming back to the shore, only able to use one arm and using the other to support John.

When Dorian finally felt solid ground under his feet, he began running through the thick mud and water, willing himself to go faster, to get John to shore. With a final surge, the pair finally flopped onto the dirt bank. John's hands were still cuffed behind his back and he wasn't breathing.

"No, no, man come on," Dorian breathed in panic. He set to pumping John's chest. _103 beats per minute, stayin' alive, stayin' alive, ooh ooh ooh ooh. . ._

No result.

Dorian tried again, but he couldn't concentrate. _What's the matter with me, I'm a computer for heaven's sake._ All he could feel was a fog of panic clouding up his head. _John's dying John's dying what are you gonna do come ON!"_

There was a burning sensation at the corners of Dorian's eyes. He blinked rapidly, still pumping at John's chest, but the feeling didn't go away. His pumping was getting erratic and harder.

"Come on, John, please!"

Dorian knew he had no lungs. He knew it but he still tried to do CPR. He blew against John's mouth but nothing came out. The prickling at the corners of his eyes intensified and he felt his chest constrict. He tried so hard to produce air, to produce something, but he wasn't human and couldn't breathe out any air. He yelled with frustration, hitting John's chest harder and harder, knowing that if he stopped it would mean he had given up.

"D'rian?"

Dorian shot up from John's chest and stared. John was coughing weakly, water leaking out of his mouth.

His face was ghostly pale but his eyes were open and he was drawing breath, albeit with difficulty. He began to sit up.

"John, I thought-"

John grunted and laid his head back against Dorian's hand, angling his face so that he could look at Dorian.

"I'm ok." he breathed.

Dorian closed his eyes and smoothed the spiky, wet hair back from John's forehead. John could feel the android shaking through the touch, and dropping the bravado, he leaned into the contact.

"Won't get rid of me that easily, disco face." he grinned unsteadily but surely.

Dorian turned his face aside so John wouldn't see his lips shaking.

He knew that androids didn't have any need for prayer. He knew that. There was no god for computers. But he said a prayer anyways, clinging to the desperate hope that it might be heard.

_Please, please don't ever leave me like that again, _he thought.

The warmth of John's body under his hands was all the answer he needed for now. That and the surly grumbles that began as soon as John was able to sit up. Dorian hid a breaking smile of relief.

"Next week we're doing swimming lessons, John."

John just mumbled in annoyance, but he still let Dorian help him up. When he was sitting upright, legs still rubbery and with Dorian behind him unlocking the cuffs, he put his forehead against Dorian's neck. The simple gesture was all the thanks Dorian needed.


End file.
